 |
NEW YORK CITY, NY (November 27, 2003) -- On this national day of feasting and Thanksgiving, conjoined twins "Carl and Clarence are complaining loudly and often that they are hungry," said the boys' pediatrician, Robert Marion, MD, director, Center for Congenital Disorders, The Children's Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM). "Hunger is another great sign that they are doing beautifully," said Dr. Marion.
The team of pediatric specialists caring for Carl and Clarence Aguirre at The Children's Hospital at Montefiore today say they are pleased to see the boys continuing to do "very well."
"The boys are back to their old selves," said Dr. Marion. "It's great to see, and they continue to do very, very well."
On Monday, the 19-month-old twins, born joined at the tops of their heads, came through their second successful surgery at CHAM in which neurosurgeon James T. Goodrich, MD, director, Pediatric Neurosurgery, CHAM, began the delicate process of dividing and tying off shared veins in the brothers' brains.
This was the second in a series of three or four surgeries staged for the first time ever to gradually separate the craniopagus twins. There is no evidence of neurological compromise following the surgery.
"Carl and Clarence are still pretty uncomfortable, due to a combination of the procedure and the fact that we can't give them anything stronger than acetaminophen because we don't want to cloud their sensoria," said Dr. Marion. "They are playing with some of their toys, and once again bopping to music from their casette tape player," said Dr. Marion.
Arlene Aguirre stays cribside with her sons in family-friendly CHAM, and hasn't been getting much sleep as she alternately soothes Carl while Clarence sleeps, and then, like every loving parent, is right there comforting Clarence while Carl catches a few winks.
For the News Media
Contact our public relations staff.
Our Public Relations team is informed, connected and responsive. We are at your service, on call 24/7, and we will work hard to help you in any way we can – whether by tracking down sources for your stories or arranging video shoots, or getting an expert to help you in your background research.
Call us at 718.920.4011, or click here to view our Office of Public Relations contacts.
Chairman, Radiation Oncology
Montefiore is establishing new standards in radiation treatment for many cancers. For example, to treat lung cancer we use Image-Guided Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IGRT), which allows unprecedented targeting of a lung tumor without harming surrounding tissue – even when the lungs move as the patient breathes.
